


The Stars in Your Eyes

by ang_gray_smol



Category: Noli Me Tangere & Related Works - José Rizal
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kimi No Na Wa, Body Swap, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Parallel Universes, Shenanigans, but the people mentioned are the mains, clarita is a closet smartass, crispin is ALIVE AND WELL, elias is a bara high school student, everyone from canon makes an appearance, placido is a closet chuunibyou, spoilers for those who haven't watched Kimi no Na Wa yet, the fic is a mix of english and filipino
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 23:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8347342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ang_gray_smol/pseuds/ang_gray_smol
Summary: Crisostomo Ibarra is the sole heir to a large hacienda in Laguna that’s been passed down in his family from generations before. He’s tired of his strict upbringing in the province and aggressively wishes he was an ordinary person living in the metro.Elias Varela has a relatively ordinary life as a working student, living with his grandmother and twin sister Elisa in Manila. He also has a strong liking for music, and likes to lug his guitar around to school when he can.One day, Crisostomo dreams about himself being a student in the city. On the other hand, Elias has dreams in which he lives in a mansion in the province.(aka the Kimi no Na Wa AU that this fandom deserves)





	1. isa

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/152027698423/the-stars-in-your-eyes)

 

A faint buzzing resonated somewhere within the room.

It went on repeatedly.

It was annoying.

With a groan, Elias groped around his bedside table for his phone. When its vibrating form brushed his fingertips, he immediately grabbed it, and brought it closer to his face. The bright light caused him to squint.

The time on his phone read ‘5:30 am’.

He slid his thumb over the screen, and the vibrating stopped immediately. He placed the phone back on the bedside table, and buried his face in his pillow.

His sister rapped at his bedroom door.

“ _Kuya_ , it’s time to get up!”

Elias groaned again. With a herculean effort, he propped himself up on his elbows. Once, he slipped, but regained his balance.

Sunlight filtered softly through the windows, the shadow of the mosquito screen and the grilles marking across the bedroom floor.

Elias sighed deeply.

“That was such a realistic dream.”


	2. dalawa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elias narrowed his eyes at the younger boy. “What happened yesterday?”
> 
> Isagani released Elias from his firm grip, and threw his hands in the air. “All sorts of things happened yesterday!” Isagani said. “You forgot where the high school buildings were, you forgot where your classroom is, you forgot where you were seated, and you even forgot your own name—just to name a few.”
> 
> “Huh?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i exhausted my brain in using my memory of where the high school buildings were in ateneo, since i've only been to that part of the campus twice
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/152062299928/the-stars-in-your-eyes)

“You’re acting normal today.”

Elias looked up at his grandmother, a puzzled look on his face. He was frozen in the act of getting two more pieces of tapa for his breakfast, his still-damp hair shiny in the light. Elisa snickered softly, hiding her face with her hand.

“ _Po?_ ”

He nearly knocked over his glass of water.

“You should’ve seen yourself, kuya!” Elisa chirped, waving her fork in the air like a wand. “You were downright mad yesterday.”

Elias furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “Me? Mad? Yesterday?”

Elisa nodded furiously, her eyes sparkling. _Lola_ Conchita picked up the television remote placed on top of the cabinets beside the dining table, and turned on the set.

The news channel came up. The reporters were discussing the third year anniversary of the comet that passed by the Philippines that left such a spectacular display then. The three ate quietly as they watched the news. Mostly nothing new, like this TV star’s something’s something getting into a controversy, some overnight killings, and the president doing his president things.

Elias checked his watch. It was already a quarter to six. Quickly, he shoved the remaining garlic rice and tapa into his mouth, stood up, and placed his plate in the sink. Elisa followed suit. _Lola_ Conchita sat quietly, slicing her tapa to small pieces.

Hurriedly, the two washed their plates, chewing their food as they did, and left them to dry on the dish rack. Swallowing down, they immediately switched to brushing their teeth, carefully and precisely. _Lola_ Conchita turned around and watched them in amusement.

“You still have a lot of time, you know,” she said softly, a small smile on her face.

“Bua we haf wo bue ga kwaffik!” Elisa retorted, her toothbrush still in her mouth.

“I can’t understand you, dear.”

Elias spat out the contents of her mouth into the sink, and answered for his sister.

“We have to beat the traffic, _lola_. It’s rush hour, and we don’t want to end up going to school late.”

 _Lola_ Conchita smiled. “Of course.”

 

 

 

It was already six thirty in the morning by the time Elias made it to Gate 3 of the Ateneo. With decreasing vigor, he walked straight ahead until he saw the Church of the Gesu loom up front. Elias then turned left, and kept walking forward until he saw the High School buildings.

He brought out his phone, and quickly texted a message to his sister: _San ka na?_

A few seconds later, his phone buzzed. _Dto palang sa Kamuning_.

A crying emoji followed.

Elias sighed, and turned off his phone. He tucked it back into his backpack, when he felt an arm drape over his shoulders.

“You seem a bit late today, _kuya_ Elias,” said Isagani Acda, a fellow student of the Ateneo, though one grade level lower than Elias, who came up to his left side. Elias slowed down his pace, and walked with his friend.

Elias rolled his eyes. “How about you?” he retorted. “As far as I know, you always arrive to school on the brink of being late.”

Isagani shrugged his shoulders. “Tis the woes of being an aspiring poet, whose mind is always left in haze, and actively desires to be given light to.”

Elias rolled his eyes again. “Your mind is always like that, whether it’s day or night. It’s always confused and muddled up.”

Isagani pouted. Then suddenly, he gripped Elias’ right shoulder harshly. Elias winced.

“Speaking of which, what happened to you yesterday? Did your _lola_ bring you to an _albularyo_ or something?”

Elias narrowed his eyes at the younger boy. “What happened yesterday?”

Isagani released Elias from his firm grip, and threw his hands in the air. “All sorts of things happened yesterday!” Isagani said. “You forgot where the high school buildings were, you forgot where your classroom is, you forgot where you were seated, and you even forgot your own name—just to name a few.”

“Huh?!” Elias cringed at the thought of him walking around aimlessly in the campus, utterly confused.

Isagani nodded solemnly. The kid wasn’t joking.

“I don’t remember any of those.”

“Well, that’s creepy,” Isagani said, as they reached the classrooms. It was too noisy early in the morning. “It’s like you had amnesia. Did you hit your head the day before or—”

“No I didn’t.”

 

 

 

“ _Ang huling salita naman ay ‘takipsilim’. Ito ang panahong pagkatapos lumubog ang araw, at nagsisimula nang dumilim. Ang panahong magiging isa ang araw at gabi, at may mangyayaring hindi karaniwan._ ”

_Takipsilim. Dapit-hapon. Twilight._

Elias was busy scanning the empty pages in his notebook when he chanced upon an odd page.

It was in handwriting unlike his.

_Who are you?_

Elias knit his brows in confusion. He checked the page after that. It was blank. He checked after that. It was blank as well. He checked the page before it. It was blank.

“Mr. Varela.”

“Ma’am.”

Elias immediately looked up to his teacher.

“ _Aba, naalala mo na pala ang pangalan mo._ ”

The class giggled.

Elias looked on in confusion.

 

 

 

“I’m astounded at the fact that you don’t remember anything at all, _kuya_ Elias,” said Placido Penitente, a classmate and friend of Isagani, and by extension, Elias.

“Have you been feeling alright these past few days?” Isagani asked in concern.

Elias nodded his head aggressively. “It’s just that…” Elias paused for a bit, taking a sip of his drink. “I’ve been having weird dreams lately.”

“Define ‘weird’,” Placido said, pointing his pen at him.

“It’s like…I’m living someone else’s life.”

Isagani whistled lowly. “That’s tough.”

Elias fiddled with the yellow and white braided cord on his left wrist.

“Yeah.”


	3. tatlo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yesterday, yesterday, yesterday…” he muttered over and over again in the jeepney; the person beside him scooted farther from him even if the vehicle was packed tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shorter this time, but hopefully still good enough~!

The rest of the school day was relatively normal, or so according to Isagani and Placido (who had double free period after break time and decided to stalk Elias while they’re at it). Elias did the usual student things—take down notes, recite in class, and panic as he took a quiz he didn’t study for (probably because it was mentioned yesterday and he wasn’t himself yesterday).

As he commuted all the way to the law firm he works in, he tried to bring back to mind what happened the day before.

“Yesterday, yesterday, yesterday…” he muttered over and over again in the jeepney; the person beside him scooted farther from him even if the vehicle was packed tightly.

 

 

 

Elias works as a part-time clerk in a law firm that handles almost all legal requirements of their clients, such as labour cases, civil and criminal litigation, and immigration. It was a small office, with a slightly cramped space filled with three desks, cabinets, and endless pieces of papers from only god knows where. The law firm was quite near Elias’ house as well, since it’s only two tricycle rides away.

The lawyers there are especially kind, and they answer all of Elias’ law-related questions, whether they’re very fundamental or extremely difficult and tricky questions. They could see the spark in his eyes every time he gains a new piece of knowledge seemingly useful for the future.

(Somehow it makes their hearts flutter in the sweet innocence as their devilish minds continue to chant “ _One of us…one of us…one of us…_ ”)

As Elias put away some documents into a filing cabinet, a hand clamped down heavily on his shoulder.

Elias flinched again. He nearly dropped the remaining documents, but thankfully recovered quickly and saved himself from further embarrassment.

“That’s the second time today,” he grumbled.

“Elias, m’boy, how’re you feeling today?” Atty. Alvarez asked. “You seemed to be quite out of it—”

“Yesterday,” Elias finished. He heaved a heavy sigh, then looked up at the lawyer. He smiled a tired smile. “Isagani and Placido told me.”

“Huh,” the lawyer mused. He brought his free hand to stroke his growing stuble.

Attorney Armando Alvarez was a bar topnotcher in 1980, ranking ninth in the list. He specialized mostly in criminal cases, one of Elias’ favourite topics. He was a rather large man with short, well-trimmed greying hair, round spectacles over his eyes, and dirty stubble. Today, he wore a green and yellow striped collared shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. His pink necktie hung loosely around his neck, as it was almost closing time.

“Did you know, Elias?” Atty. Alvarez prompted, his arm still on Elias’ shoulders.

“Sir?”

“Those Isagani and Placido fellows of yours had to accompany you here, because apparently you said you forgot where you worked.”

Elias drew his lips into a very thin line. Atty. Alvarez chuckled, and finally removed his arm from Elias’ shoulders.

“Well,” Attorney Theodore Rosales said, another of the lawyers in the office. “If ever you want to talk about, we’re all ears, alright?”

Attorney Rosales, in contrast to Attorney Alvarez, was a graduate only two years ago. He was rather slim and good-looking, and always carried himself in a modest kind of manner.

Elias looked at Atty. Rosales in confusion. “ _Po?_ ”

“Err…” Atty. Rosales stuttered, putting his hands up in defense. “M-maybe your change in attitude was because of troubles a-at home…”

Elias took one good long look at the lawyer, and shook his head violently.

“My change in behaviour has nothing to do with anything at home. Sure, Elisa’s annoying as ever, but that’s not bad enough. Don’t worry, attorney,” Elias said, putting on a small smile to calm down the young lawyer.

“Ah.”

 

 

 

“So, how was work?” Elisa asked the moment Elias got home.

“The usual,” Elias replied curtly. He left his shoes at the foot of the stairs, and went straight to his room.

“Don’t you want dinner?” Elisa called out, concerned.

“Maybe later,” Elias replied from upstairs. Then, he shut the door with finality.

In his room, Elias deposited his bag beside his desk. Without changing into house wear, he flopped onto his bed, exhausted.

“Whatever happened yesterday,” he said to himself, “I’d rather not know.”

He turned around, and grabbed his body pillow. Slowly, he felt his eyes drop.

_I’d really appreciate a nice dream tonight._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/152467274548/the-stars-in-your-eyes)


	4. apat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes, I am dreaming,” Elias affirmed to himself. “There is no way I’d be this small and this hairless.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY SIBLING IS SUCH A GREAT SIBLING THEY MADE [ART](http://askelnolicharacters.tumblr.com/post/154846350712/erehes-fics-give-me-oxygen-to-breathe-and-i-am) FOR MY LAME FIC AHAHAHAHA

When Elias opened his eyes the next day, what greeted him was not Elisa knocking on his door and calling him for breakfast, but a rooster crowing loudly. Very loudly, as though it was just outside his window.

Elias knows it’s impossible for them to have a rooster outside, considering the fact that there is no balcony outside his room, much less own one.

He inhaled deeply. The air seemed fresher and cooler, compared to Quezon City.

Elias got up slowly. The bed didn’t creak, which it never does. The room was darker than it usually is as well. He checked the conveniently placed wall clock on the wall in front of him.

It read 6:00 am.

 _Weird_ , Elias thought. _Elisa didn’t wake me up this time_. He looked instinctively to his right, where the door is, and where his desk usually is.

Where is desk _should_ be, because now there’s a large cabinet presumably full of clothes to his right.

The window to his left still had the mosquito screen and grilles, but this time with silver curtains, thick enough to block out the sun to some extent.

Elias stopped. Something definitely wasn’t right.

He looked down at his body, and sure enough, he looked different. He wasn’t in his school uniform, instead he was in ordinary house wear (The shirt read ‘DAMNdamin’. What the hell.), and Elias explicitly remembers not changing last night. His legs were less hairy, and his arms had less muscles too.

Surreal.

He looked around the room as well. It was definitely unfamiliar, with the wooden walls, plain white paint, matching white ceramic tiles, and the varnished desk and cabinet that were placed differently.

“Am I dreaming?” Elias wondered aloud, and he noted the change in his voice as well. It was higher.

Slowly he stood up from bed, and trudged to the cabinet. He opened it, and there was a mirror attached to one of the doors.

He gave himself a quick glance, and narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

“Yes, I _am_ dreaming,” Elias affirmed to himself. “There is no way I’d be _this_ small and _this_ hairless.”

A soft knock came on the door, followed by a shy female voice. Elias jumped in surprise.

_Sir Crisostomo? Gising na po ba kayo?_

“Now,” Elias said lowly to himself, “who, in the name of everything that is good, would name their kid ‘Crisostomo’?”

To the shy female voice, he answered, “ _Opo_.”

The door opened, and a housemaid came in with a tray of breakfast.

“Woah,” Elias muttered. The tray had a plate of _sinangag_ , _longganisang Lucban_ , egg over-easy, sliced tomatoes, and a mug of hot chocolate. It was more than what Elias usually has for breakfast everyday.

It was _great_.

“ _Sir Crisostomo_?”

Elias blinked twice. He stared at the food for too long. The woman set it down on his study table, stacking the papers neatly on one side so it won’t make a mess.

“ _Dinala ko na yung pagkain niyo po sa kwarto niyo dahil hindi pa po kayo bumababa._ ”

Elias blinked twice again. He pointed at himself. “ _Ako_?”

The woman nodded. “A-ah…”

“ _Iwan niyo na lang po ang_ tray _sa mesa niyo pag tapos na po kayong kumain_.”

Elias nodded curtly, and the woman left the room, closing the door behind her. Then, he looked at the food again. He sat down, and began eating.

 

 

 

“Cri-sos-tomo!”

Elias flinched at the female voice calling to him (or the name of the person whose body he was currently inhabiting). He went downstairs after a satisfying meal, and found the house to be _huge_.

The living area was wide and spacious, with soft cushiony sofas positioned in one corner. There was even a _capiz_ chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. To the right was an equally wide and spacious dining area, and probably a well stocked kitchen somewhere inside.

The woman calling to him was a very pretty girl, with large brown eyes, short black hair, and a cute eye smile.

Elias blinked dumbly again.

“Er…”

“Cris, it’s me, Maria!”

Elias nodded to pretend to show understanding. “Ah.”

“Jeez, man, what’s gotten into you?” Maria asked, patting him gently on the shoulder. It’s different from what Isagani does, or what the lawyers at the firm do. It’s odd. It’s nice.

“I…um…slept late.”

Maria pouted. “Is that it?”

Elias opened his mouth to voice another reason, before Maria placed a finger on his lips.

“Anyway, Basilio and Crispin are waiting outside.”

“Who?”

Now, it was Maria’s turn to blink twice. “The siblings. _Aling_ Sisa’s sons. Basilio and Crispin Canovas.”

Elias nodded again to pretend to show understanding. “Ah.”

 

 

 

All throughout the morning, Elias, in the guy named Crisostomo’s body, hiked around the fields with the girl named Maria Clara, whom Elias realized was a smartass of her own accord, and the siblings Basilio and Crispin. Basilio was the quieter sibling, often looking as though he was thinking of something very deeply, whereas Crispin always had a small smile on his face and greeted everyone he meets.

Polar opposites whom you can’t believe are related.

They walked around the fields, waving to the neighbors, and pausing for a chat on some occasions. Elias stayed behind Maria, diverting his eyes to something, _anything_ , just so they wouldn’t initiate a conversation with him.

(Maria took the cue, but she couldn’t defend him when the person themself wanted to talk to the son of _Don_ Rafael Ibarra.)

(Elias appreciated the effort, but he still died inside.)

They stopped in front of a clearing, where they could get a very beautiful view of Mt. Makiling. The rice fields full of green blades of grass, but they weren’t ready to be harvested just yet. A white heron landed on one of the fields, and idly walked around. Two others followed suit. Nearby, a carabao was soaking in a mud bath, and an army of ducks waddled away from them, towards a makeshift scarecrow.

“I can’t believe we’ll have to go up there soon,” Crispin whined. Being the younger sibling, he didn’t have much stamina unlike his older friends. Basilio chided him wordlessly.

“And Crisostomo here will have to lead us then,” Maria said proudly, slapping Elias on the back. It was hard, but Elias didn’t wince—he was already too used to it.

Elias took a deep breath. The air was so fresh, he would never inhale something this pure while living in the metro. He savoured it.

A buzzing sound broke the peaceful silence. Everyone looked towards the direction of the sound.

Maria pulled out her phone.

“They’re calling us for lunch at Cris’ place, apparently,” Maria declared. They all nodded, and started walking back home.

 

 

 

“Now you’ll need to read this.”

Maria dropped another pamphlet onto the growing stack on the desk. Elias narrowed his eyes.

“I’ll have to read all this?”

“Yep,” Basilio said, lying on the bed, reading a book about the human body. “ _Don_ Rafael is strict about this, remember?”

Elias didn’t remember what _Don_ Rafael was strict about, but he grunted in acknowledgement anyway.

“What are all these books and pamphlets about, anyway?”

“Farming, and codals on land reform,” Crispin replied. “You’ll be inheriting your dad’s lands, so he thought that you needed to know while you’re still young.”

Elias looked from the siblings lounging on the bed, to the stack of papers and thin paperbacks on the desk, to Maria digging around for sticky notes and a highlighter. He gestured to all of the stuff on the desk.

“These?”

The siblings nodded.

Elias pursed his lips.

 

 

 

It was already late at night when Elias decided to stop reading and get to sleep. He got up from the desk, a bit wobbly, before he stopped.

He got the sharpie from the assortment of pens, and wrote on his arm. He remembered the mysterious question written in his notebook.

Carefully, he wrote down his name.

_Elias._

Then he flopped onto the bed.

He got Crisostomo’s phone, and began browsing through it. There were two messages and two missed calls—one of the messages was an advisory from Globe, and the other a message from Maria: “Where are you???”.

The two missed calls were both from the same number, a certain _Ate_ Grace. It was the woman who brought him the tray of food this morning. Probably she called him to wake him up.

He went through the photos, and most of them were of Maria.

“Does this Crisostomo guy have a crush on her, I wonder?”

He browsed further.

“Huh,” Elias said. “He keeps a diary in his phone.”

He opened the app, and scrolled down through all the entries written.

Elias decided to be coy, and wrote down an entry of his own.

“Maria and the others helped pick reading materials for future uses. I pinched her cheek when she got too close to my face.”

Then he switched off the phone, and tried to get some sleep.

“I know I said I’d appreciate a nice dream, but not _this kind_ of nice,” he said to no one in particular.

He closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/154882371968/the-stars-in-your-eyes)  
>  in commemoration of Kimi no Na Wa which is airing right now in Philippine cinemas ^_^
> 
> merry christmas everyone!!!


	5. lima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Crisostomo placed his arm under the cold running water, the name written bothered him, even as the black ink faded to violet, then to nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i checked my journal so i could keep tabs on my progress on the fic, i saw that the content of the chapters are different from what i had in my mind just yesterday (lmao me and my forgetful ass) so here i'm sticking to my journal so this chapter is short like me

Crisostomo woke up with a start. The rooster barely started crowing when he got up from his bed. The world was still dark, the sun hasn’t even risen yet.

Immediately he dashed downstairs to the dining area.

“ _Ate_ Grace!”

The woman popped her head out of the kitchen. Her eyes widened at the sight of a very early and wide-awake Crisostomo standing at the door of the dining area.

“ _Ano pong ulam_?”

“ _Tapa, po_.”

Crisostomo nodded his head. “ _Sige po._ I’ll just be in my room _po—tawagin niyo na lang po ako kung kakain na po_.”

The house help nodded her head (any question that she was ready to ask flew out of her head—yesterday was yesterday), and Crisostomo went back up to his room to read.

As he opened the door to his room, he caught a black marking on his left hand.

“Elias?”

He stared at the name in confusion.

_Who could that be?_

He continued staring at the name in more confusion. He didn’t know anyone, or remotely hear about anyone with the name ‘Elias’. As far as his memory is concerned, he doesn’t recall anything related to such a name.

Which was why it was weird. He didn’t know anyone named ‘Elias’, so why would he have written it on his arm (absent-mindedly too, because he doesn’t remember anything that happened yesterday, sadly).

“Most of all, who would name their kid like that?” he wondered aloud. _Too old_ , he thought.

 _They should’ve named their kid a more sophisticated one like mine_.

Crisostomo tried rubbing at the marking, but it did him no good. The ink had already dried overnight, so the only remedy left was going to the bathroom to wash it off with soap and water.

As Crisostomo placed his arm under the cold running water, the name written bothered him, even as the black ink faded to violet, then to nothing.

He dried his arm with tissue, and went out the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/155435778853/the-stars-in-your-eyes)


	6. anim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This town is just,” Crisostomo inhales, and looks at Basilio and Crispin—they give him a nod of approval, “fucking boring.”
> 
> “Agreed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think i'm doing well with this twice a month update thing (yehes galing ko raw)
> 
> also, throughout the entire chapter i thought that pia alba was crisostomo's mother, and i changed the fact at the last minute by naming cris' mom with the first name that popped into my head.

He spent the next few hours lying on his bed, rolling himself up into _lumpiang_ Crisostomo and refusing to go downstairs until the sun was truly up in the sky.

Breakfast was the same as always—Don Rafael would be there only for a brisk amount of time, but in that time he would be perusing the newspapers in mild interest with an already empty plate and a steaming mug of coffee, Doña Catalina would be quietly picking at her food, mostly looking out into the distance and zoning out until _Ate_ Grace would wave a hand in front of her and giggle a bit at her _amo_ ’s weird antics and set the last plate of _ulam_ on the table.

Cris smiled fondly at the scene. It was perfect, and he didn’t ever want it to change.

Don Rafael looked up from his newspaper. “Ah, Crisostomo! _Halika na_ , _lalamig na ang pagkain_ ,” Don Rafael called out cheerily.

Cris hurried over to the dining table, and began picking pieces of _tapa_ from the large platter in front of him. There was a glass of warm Milo beside his plate which he nearly knocked over, but he managed to move it to a safer place so that by the end of the meal he could drink it.

“Cris,” Doña Catalina called, and Crisostomo looked up from his food, and cocked his head in confusion, his mouth full of food. “Just before Maria and the others left last night, they told me that you pinched Maria’s cheek a bit too hard.”

The fork and spoon Cris was holding fell to his plate in a noisy _clang_. Cris couldn’t open his mouth in shock because that would be rude and gross, but if he could then he would.

Doña Catalina smiled. “I’m glad you’re opening up to Maria. You’ve always been so shy around her.”

Cris nodded dumbly, chewing his food more slowly now.

“Why don’t you go visit her today?” Don Rafael suggested. “It’s a Sunday anyway, so you could spend the morning with her, but make sure to come home just in time for lunch.”

Criss nodded again, and swallowed his food.

_What happened yesterday?!_

 

 

 

“Come to think of it, _kuya_ Cris was rather weird yesterday.”

They were sitting under the shade of a _balete_ tree, sipping the frozen drinks from time to time. Maria had brought a paper fan with her, and everyone was taking turns in using it.

Crisostomo eyed Crispin suspiciously.

“Define ‘weird’.”

“Well,” Basilio began, “for starters, you didn’t recognize who we were, you didn’t recognize the interior of your own living room, you didn’t talk to people we met on the street because you said you didn’t remember them, and you also didn’t remember that you’d been prematurely studying labour laws and agrarian reform.”

“You had a weird kind of amnesia, basically,” Crispin added. The two brothers nodded sagely, proud of themselves.

“Oh, oh!” Maria exclaimed, waving her hand up in the air and almost spilling the contents of her C2 on Cris. “You pinched me on the cheek yesterday too!”

Crisostomo blushed a pale red. “Y-yeah, and I’m so sorry for that…”

Maria smacked him on the back. “It’s fine, it’s fine, really! Don’t look so down about it, Cris. Sinang does it to me all the time.”

It lightened him up a bit.

“Also, you kept on clinging to me yesterday, like you were some little kid. You were just right behind me the entire time we walked around town.”

Crisostomo’s blush deepened further. Maria noticed this reaction, and giggled.

“You were cute.”

In an effort to change the subject and shield himself from further embarrassment, Cris immediately switched the topic to the time when Basilio and Crispin nearly dropped the small bag of groceries they bought for Sisa into the irrigation canal. The brothers promptly swatted at Crisostomo, shushing him and making sure he won’t speak of that experience ever again.

 

 

 

They stayed under the _balete_ tree for a bit longer, until it was already lunchtime.

Maria sighed. “I’m bored.”

All of them nodded in unison.

“This town is just,” Crisostomo inhales, and looks at Basilio and Crispin—they give him a nod of approval, “ _fucking_ boring.”

“Agreed.”

Then, they stood up, and went home without another word.

 

 

 

“I said ‘just in time for lunch’, right?”

“ _Pa_ , I’m here _na_ , and _Ate_ Grace is just setting the table.”

“Cris.”

“I’ll go help _Ate_ Grace.”

 

 

 

After lunch, Crisostomo barricaded himself in his room, and brought out all of his reading materials: the Labour Code, Agrarian Reform, and a booklet on new farming techniques. He took a highlighter from the pen holder on his desk, uncapped it, and drew a line on a spare sheet of paper to check if it still had enough ink. Satisfied with the consistency, he walked over to get his phone from under his pillow to set an alarm.

As he browsed through his phone a bit, he checked his virtual diary to see if anything was new.

And surprise, surprise, a new entry not by him was there, written only yesterday.

“What on earth…”

_Maria and the others helped pick reading materials for future uses. I pinched her cheek when she got too close to my face._

“So I _did_ pinch her in the cheek…”

Crisostomo looked down at his own hands.

“And I let her get close to my face…”

Crisostomo brought his hands to his pink face, and fathomed in the events of yesterday. The idea of studying left his head rapidly.

 _Take me away. Now. Probably somewhere far. Like Manila. Manila’s good_.

 

 

 

The Ibarra family heard mass in this small town church nearly at the top of a hill. Crisostomo couldn’t concentrate on what the priest was saying (he promised to pay attention next time), as his mind was full of “ _what happened yesterday, what happened yesterday, what happened yesterday_ ”. The priest’s homily went through one ear, and went out the other.

 

 

 

After the mass, Crisostomo stayed behind, and waited for Maria. Her parents were chatting with the priest, and it was taking rather too long for her liking. She tugged on her mother’s sleeve and pointed outside. On a whim, her mother nodded.

Maria walked over to the waiting Crisostomo, and together they went down the hill.

They kept their silence for a few minutes, until Crisostomo sighed very loudly.

“Cris? Are you okay?”

“I’m tired of this town already! I want to go to Manila and live a different life!”

“Ahaha, but what will you do in Manila?”

“I’ll take the Civil Service Exam and work in a government agency!”

“What.”

“I will! Watch me, Maria. I’ll do just that!”

Cris looked at Maria with fierce determination, his eyes set on doing such. Maria smiled. She can’t really stop her friend now, can she?

In the light of the setting sun, they walked the makeshift road in silence for a few minutes, before Cris started again.

“Maria, do you believe in reincarnation?”

They were slowly coming down from the hill. Fireflies dotted the bushes and trees, their lights going on and off.

“Not really. Why?”

Crisostomo suddenly inhaled deeply, then he ran off to a ledge.

“Cris!”

At the top of his lungs, he shouted to no one in particular, “I hate this town, and I hate my life! Please make me a handsome Manila boy in my next life!”

Maria stared at him dumbly.

“What.”

 

 

 

The day ended quickly, much to Crisostomo’s liking. He fell forward onto his bed, and wished for a good sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> even crisostomo aims to beat energy gap (sorry not sorry)  
> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/156039365543/the-stars-in-your-eyes)


	7. pito

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crisostomo tiptoed to get a better view.
> 
> “Woah,” he breathed. He proceeded to excessively poke his chest and stomach, and pinch his arms.
> 
> “I’m _batak_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (^ the few lines that matter)
> 
> THE SCHOOLYEAR'S ALMOST OVER BUT IN THE MEANTIME I'M SUFFERING
> 
> anyway, have a new chapter ^_^

Slowly, Crisostomo opened his eyes.

He was confused by two things.

First, it was rather bright already.

Second, he didn’t hear the rooster crow.

A loud banging came on the door. He panicked momentarily, but he saw that the door was locked. He sighed in relief, but it was disturbed as the loud banging on the door resumed.

“ _Kuya_! _Male-late na tayo_ , _bilisan mo_!” came a female voice on the other side of the door. Crisostomo stared at the door in disbelief.

“ _Hoy kuya_! _Wag ka ngang nagbibingibingian_! Hurry up already!” came the female voice again, this time more agitated than before.

Crisostomo opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The girl didn’t sound one bit like Maria (she doesn’t even call him _kuya_ in the first place!), nor did it sound like _Ate_ Grace (another woman who doesn’t need to call him _kuya_ ).

So, who?

“ _S-sige_! _Susunod ako_!” Crisostomo managed to choke out. He was surprised when his voice was two semitones lower.

_Woah…_

“ _Bilisan mo ah. Mauuna na ako_ , _kuya_ ,” replied the female voice. Then Crisostomo heard her footsteps padding quickly across the floor, down the stairs.

Crisostomo waited for a few seconds, before he started to move.

There was a small face mirror hanging at the side, so Crisostomo made to look at himself and wonder why is his voice suddenly two semitones deeper and why there’s a female who’s not Maria, his mom, nor his house help in the house.

The house that’s not actually his house.

Crisostomo took time to admire the room he was in as he walked over to the mirror. The walls were painted a pale blue, which were adorned with a few picture frames, medals, certificates, and music sheets taped to the walls.

“He studies at Ateneo de Manila, huh…”

Crisostomo squinted at the tabs, trying to decipher how to read them. After deciding that he really knew nothing about music, he continued walking towards the mirror.

He peered into the mirror, and his lips drew to a very, very thin line.

“What on earth…”

He picked at the longish strands framing his face. He observed the slight stubble on his chin. He felt the white-gold braided cord on the left wrist.

“Huh.”

Crisostomo tiptoed to get a better view.

“Woah,” he breathed. He proceeded to excessively poke his chest and stomach, and pinch his arms.

“I’m _batak_.”

A phone suddenly started ringing. Startled, he rushed over to pick it up.

It was a message from someone labeled ‘Placido Penitente’.

“Placido? Who _is_ that? And what the hell is with his name?”

 _Classes are starting. Where are you???_ , the message read. Crisostomo had to blink rapidly, before running out of the room, towel in hand.

“Elias! _Gising ka na pala!_ ” _Lola_ Conchita called, mildly surprised at hearing her grandson screech in horror at being late for school.

 

 

 

“Umm… _lola_ , how do you get to Ateneo again?”

“Elias, _okey ka lang ba_ , _hijo_?”

 

 

 

“ _Uy, Elias,_ good morning! _Sarap ba ng tulog mo_?”

Crisostomo nodded stiffly, as he continued walking past a schoolmate. His shirt was rather ruffled, and his long hair was tied in a low ponytail after snatching a hair tie from the mystery girl’s room, as he found it bothersome that it keeps flying into his face.

 

He peered inside each and every classroom, baiting his classmates to usher him in, saving him the time and effort of asking (also so he won’t look like a weirdo).

“ _Kuya_ Elias!”

A hand suddenly wrapped around his shoulders, and Crisostomo yelped.

“Woah, _kuya_ , you okay?” Crisostomo turned towards the speaker and found himself being scrutinized by a wide-eyed, glasses-wearing guy.

“It’s because you surprised him,” chided another guy, this time sterner than the one staring intently at Crisostomo (or Elias?).

_Elias…?_

_Wait, wasn’t that…_

“Well, first of all, Placido, _I’m_ the one who’s surprised by _kuya_. First of all, he came to school at lunchtime already, he doesn’t have his guitar with him like he usually does, and his hair’s tied up. He never ties his hair unless it’s PE!” the glasses-wearing guy said, waving his free hand around.

The guy called Placido clicked his tongue. “He didn’t have his guitar the day after the incident.”

“Ah, _oo nga no_ …”

Silence ensued for a few seconds, leaving Crisostomo sweating profusely from nervousness.

Then, the glasses-wearing guy piped up again.

“Why don’t we go to the cafeteria? Maybe _kuya’s_ hungry.”

“Ah, finally, a good idea from you, Isagani.”

“You rude asshole.”

“Umm…” Crisostomo started. Placido and Isagani were surprised at how soft Elias’ voice was. “I didn’t bring any lunch with me.”

“That’s alright, _kuya_ ,” Placido said. “I have a sandwich with me.”

 

 

 

“So…”

Crisostomo looked up from his sandwich, chewing slowly.

“Why were you late?”

“Ah…well…I…”

“ _Kuya_ , your voice is so high.”

Placido and Isagani squinted at him in confusion.

Crisostomo’s eyes widened in the realization, and coughed loudly.

“I…”

Placido and Isagani squinted even more at him in confusion. “Huh?”

Crisostomo coughed again.

“I…”

Placido and Isagani squinted _even_ more at him in confusion. “Huh?”

Crisostomo coughed yet again.

“I…”

Placido and Isagani nodded in affirmation. “Better.”

Crisostomo sighed in relief.

“I got lost on the way. It’s busy in the city.”

Placido and Isagani pondered over this answer for a while.

“ _Kuya_ , you have an accent.”

“Huh?!”

“Goodness, I could literally hear Elisa’s voice in my head. She’s shouting at her brother to hurry up.”

Crisostomo flinched at how accurate Placido’s statement is.

“Anyway, you guys want to pass by Starbucks later? We could cool down there after school and do some homework—”

“Did you say Starbucks?”

Crisostomo had his hands on the table, and was creepily inching forward towards Isagani.

 

 

 

The coffee place was bustling with people, soft jazz music playing through the speakers. Isagani was moving his glasses up and down as he perused the menu on the counter. Crisostomo was eagerly looking around the place, a smile plastered on his face.

“You seem a bit excited, _kuya_.”

Crisostomo nodded at Placido.

When they sat down, Crisostomo brought his chocolate frappuccino close to his face and observed the whipped cream on top of the drink.

“Woah…”

“Don’t tell me this is the first time you went to Starbucks,” Isagani chided, bringing out a textbook and a filler binder. His phone buzzed and lit up with a message from one ‘Paulita Gomez’.

“It’s probably the first time that he ordered a frappuccino. He always gets either hot coffee or iced coffee,” Placido replied, fishing out a mechanical pencil and yellow highlighter from his pencil case.

As Crisostomo sipped his chocolate frappuccino, his phone suddenly buzzed. He brought it out, and there was a reminder on the screen.

‘Time to go to work!’

“Ah! I have to go to work!”

Isagani cocked his head. “That so?”

Placido set down his highlighter. “You should’ve said earlier.”

Standing up, Crisostomo wrapped a piece of tissue around the container so it won’t drip once the outside started condensing. “Yeah, I’ll be going now.”

He pushed the chair behind, and stopped.

“Umm…”

“Yeah?”

“I…uh…where do I work again?”

(Isagani looked into the distance like he was on The Office.)

 

 

Papers were flying since the air conditioning unit was being repaired, thus all three electric fans were utilized, and caused chaos inside the law firm.

Crisostomo placed a paperweight on all of the documents, but somehow loose papers are still going up in the air.

“Placido and Isagani said you forgot where you worked again,” Atty. Alvarez said, looking up from his computer. Crisostomo pursed his lips, and gave a small nod.

“Goodness boy, best take care of your memory. You’ll be needing that smart head of yours in the future,” Attorney Rey Gallenito said, sliding a filing cabinet shut.

“Yes _po_. I will.”

Another piece of paper flew in front of Crisostomo’s face. He immediately ducked to retrieve it.

 

 

 

Crisostomo flopped onto the bed, exhausted.

The mystery girl appeared at the doorway, knocking at the door just in case she intruded.

“Dinner’s ready.”

“Coming.”

He trudged down the stairs as he took his seat at the table (he didn’t actually know where he was seated, but since the mystery girl and the _lola_ were already seated, Crisostomo assumed that the empty chair left is for him). Quietly, he ate his dinner, and left the table once he was done.

“Elias! Where are your manners?”

Crisostomo stopped in his tracks, then swiveled around. As though he was programmed to do so, he picked up his plate, brought it to the sink, and washed it.

“Very good.”

Crisostomo grunted, then he trudged back up the stairs.

He flopped onto the bed again. He brought out his phone from his pants pocket, and began perusing the files.

“Huh, so he likes taking pictures of scenery…”

Coincidentally, there was also a diary app installed, so Crisostomo filled in what happened the entire day.

 _He = Elias_.

“Ah, so the name written on my hand the other day…”

He walked over to the desk, got a Sharpie, and wrote his name on his palm.

_Crisostomo._

 

 

 

Elias pondered over the name written on his hand for a few seconds (and why he slept in his uniform last night), before getting out of bed.

“Wow _kuya_ , _ang aga mo naman ngayon ah_ ,” Elisa called from her room as she watched her older twin get into the bathroom. He stuck his tongue out at her and closed the door.

 

 

 

“You were at it again, _kuya_! You were so weird yesterday! But at least now you brought your guitar with you.”

“Nice,” Elias commented nonchalantly, positioning the capo and testing out the tune. “That sounds very nice, Isagani.”

 

 

 

Elias couldn’t believe it.

He was having that very realistic dream again.

Though he had gotten through most of the day, it was terrible.

After writing everything down in the phone diary, he picked up the Sharpie, and wrote vigourously on his arm (or rather, the other person’s arm).

_Crisostomo? Who are you? Where are you?_

 

 

 

“Everyone said you made a scene yesterday, _kuya_ Elias.”

“ _I did what_?!”

He pulled out his filler binder, and went through all of his notes. His gasp of panic grew louder as there were absolutely no notes at all, just random scribbles and stuff about labour reforms.

“I can’t believe it.”

 

 

 

Crisostomo’s hands were shaking as he gripped his phone, going through all the diary entries that he had never written. Maria held his shoulder in concern.

“Oh god, could it be…”

 

 

 

Elias went through the last of his notes.

“That guy and I, in our dreams…”

 

 

 

Crisostomo read the newest diary entry in his phone.

“Are actually switching places?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have added my favourite modern el noli hcs, like isagani in glasses, and elias in a ponytail.  
> i too am also wondering what the fuck is happening in the end (if you know the movie, then you'll know)
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://almightytrashcan.tumblr.com/post/157399593958/the-stars-in-your-eyes)


	8. walo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "GAGO."
> 
> "BWISET."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so...[listen as you read](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDSkFeMVNFs)?
> 
>    
> edit: BACK BY INCREASINGLY POPULAR DEMAND HAHA im so sorry for almost dropping this
> 
> edit 2: I POSTED THIS IN SCHOOL yolo

If there was something that Cris and Elias agreed on, it was having a set of rules for daily life when it happens that they switch bodies.

They typed all the rules down on each other’s cellphones, as well as agreed to keep a log of events that happened while they switched. It’s the most precaution that they can employ so that the next instances of body-switching won’t make them look like complete idiots.

Rule number one was that Elias never ties his hair, no matter the weather.

 

 

 

“Elisa! _May tali ka ba_?”

Elisa popped her head out of the bathroom, her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. She pointed to her room.

“ _Shu ghesk kuh._ ”

“Thanks.” Cris tiptoed to Elisa’s room, mumbling many apologies for intruding into a girl’s bedroom, before crossing over to the desk to get a black hair tie from the huge bundle at the side.

Elisa takes a while in brushing her teeth. She likes to make sure they’re clean and minty, so this gave Cris enough leeway to fix Elias’ unruly hair once and for all.

“God, does this guy _ever_ fix his hair?” Cris grumbled, back in his room, and running a comb through his hair in the mirror. “He’s got good shampoo, all right, but if he doesn’t comb his hair even once then it’s all a huge waste.”

The comb caught on multiple tangles and tiny knots. Cris continued to grumble his complaints, untangling this ridiculous head of hair and running the comb through it again just to make sure. When he was satisfied with the outcome of his combing, he tied his hair back neatly with the tie he borrowed from Elisa.

“ _Kuya_! Your turn.”

“Coming.”

 

 

 

Isagani adjusted his glasses, and continued staring at Cris.

“ _Kuya, may pupuntahan ka ba mamaya_?”

“…no? _Bakit_?”

Isagani reached out to touch Cris’ hair, and pulled back, surprised, at how neat it was.

“ _Ang ayos kasi ng buhok mo_. And it’s never like that, ever.”

Cris laughed nervously, reaching to scratch the back of his neck. “I thought about being neat for once, that’s all.”

An awkward silence befell them. Cris gulped. He was never really the good conversationalist. He mostly left that to Maria, and sometimes Crispin. They’re the more extroverted ones in their group.

“A-Anyway! Lunch!”

Isagani nodded, before pulling out his sandwich case from his lunchbox. Suddenly, he froze.

“Wait, where’s Placi?”

“I’m right here, you idiot.”

Isagani nearly jumped up from his seat. “I can’t believe you forgot that Placido was just beside you,” Cris commented, twirling the apple that _Lola_ Conchita packed for him around in his palm.

“H-He was too quiet _kasi_! How the hell was I supposed to know that he was there?”

“I’m offended. Also—”

Placido turned his head, and started scrutinizing Cris. The latter nearly dropped his apple from the intensity of Placido’s gaze. Did Elias’ friends always stare at him this way? If they did, then how the hell did he survive?!

Placido stood up from his seat, and went over to Cris. Without saying anything, he pulled the hair tie, and ruffled up Cris’ hair.

Cris, on the other hand, was too intimidated to even voice a single protest. He only came to when Placido sat back down, and tossed the hair tie back to him.

“Better,” he said, before taking a sip from his water jug. Isagani inched only the smallest bit farther from Placido, and focused on his sandwich. Peanut butter, it seemed.

Cris, dazed, put a hand up to his hair.

“Don’t I…don’t I ever fix my hair?”

Isagani looked up from his sandwich, confused.

“Um, yeah? What kind of a question is that?”

Cris didn’t have the energy to fix his hair all over again.

 

 

 

“ _Kuya, kailangan mo ba ulit ng tali_?”

Elias gave his sister a weird look before shaking his head. His toothbrush cap rattled along with his body.

“Oh okay, _kasi kahapon_ you were so intent on borrowing one.”

Elisa didn’t notice the outraged look Elias had on his face.

 

 

 

He was busy checking his phone as he walked to the high school buildings.

 _Log 2_ , the title read said.

_I tried tying your hair—okay well technically it’s my hair now._

Elias sighed deeply. “Didn’t I say to not tie my hair?” he said to no one in particular.

_It didn’t make much of a big deal, really. Some of the senior high girls gave me looks, though. Are you popular in school?_

“That’s not important,” Elias said, resisting the urge to crush his phone. It was a gift from his _Lola_ and his sister, scrapped from savings and extra pension money. He needed to take care of it lest he goes cellphone-less until he gets a stable job. So for now, no cellphone crushing, even while reading Crisostomo’s ridiculous logs.

_Anyway, Placido made me remove the hair tie during recess time. I left it like that for the rest of the day. It was too bothersome to fix it again, anyway. Ang gulo kasi ng buhok mo._

A string of irritated-looking emojis followed.

_Also, btw, can you at least install a diary app too? It’s hard to write it all down in Notes._

“Maybe I will…”

He heard voices behind him, and when he turned his head, a small group of Senior High girls were chatting animatedly, and looking at him in between.

Elias sighed again. He put his phone on silent mode, then slipped it in a small opening in his backpack.

“ _Kuya_ Elias!”

Placido came up to him. He reached out to ruffle the older guy’s hair.

“…what are you doing?”

“Making sure your hair’s normal.”

“O-Oh…”

“Lots of girls were looking at you yesterday,” Placido said, glancing back at the group of girls that now overtook them in walking, still giggling and looking at Elias. “You were acting really cutesy too.”

“That…that is the last thing I would ever want to hear from someone like you.”

“ _Kinulam ka ba_ or something?”

Elias shrugged. Even _he_ doesn’t know the reason why he started switching bodies with someone else. He played with the white-yellow braided cord on his left wrist. Placido caught the action.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a memento from my parents. Before they…”

“Migrated to Spain?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it hard having OFW parents?”

Elias mulled over it for a bit. “Kinda. But…not now, Placi. You should get going to your class.”

 

 

 

Rule number two was that Crisostomo always maintains a respectable distance from Maria, and that personal space should be respected at all costs.

 

 

 

Elias was never really used to having a big breakfast everyday. That was a luxury reserved for Sundays only. It’s usually just one _ulam_ and rice, or toast and eggs. Never everything all at once.

He gulped down his guilt with promises that he’s going to exercise all of this off one day.

One day.

“After this, I expect that you read up on the history of agrarian reform in the country, okay?”

Elias nodded, taking baby sips of his hot chocolate. He suspected it to be Tablea, the kind that Placido usually gifts them for Christmas. Strange, though. The last time he and Crisostomo switched, he had cold Milo, which was equally good too. Alternating, maybe?

He let _Ate_ Grace take his plate, even though a part of him wanted to stand up and help her wash the dishes. No, he was Crisostomo for now—he has to play his part, although begrudgingly.

The doorbell rang. _Ate_ Grace, after carefully setting the dishes down in the kitchen, hurried off to the door. Elias turned his head, wondering who it was.

“ _Ay, si_ Ma’am Maria!”

Maria stepped into the house cheerfully. “Hello _po_.”

 _Doña_ Catalina clapped her hands. “Ah, Cris can have Maria accompany him.”

“Okay, Maria, could you accompany Cris while he studies?”

Maria nodded enthusiastically. She walked over to where Elias was seated, who was still drinking his hot chocolate, and pulled him out his seat, nearly spilling the chocolate.

“W-Wait _lang_!”

 

 

 

Maria was quizzing Elias on the history of agrarian reform, as well as some other things like today’s weather and tomorrow’s speculated activites.

“Looks like it’ll be sunny, and…I assume I’ll be studying more?”

“Yep. That’s pretty much it.”

“…don’t I go to school or something?”

“Yeah? But your dad doesn’t really like it, though.”

“So…does that mean you’re skipping school, right now?”

“Not gonna tell!”

Elias slumped on the wooden desk, the tip of his nose barely touching the spine of yet another history book.

“Why do I have to study so much? It’s so…exhausting.”

Not that Elias doesn’t do the same back at the Ateneo, but Crisostomo is barely given a day for personal fun, lest sleeping in the whole day. It’s just study, study, study, hangout with Maria and Basilio and Crispin sometimes, and study even more, and probably accompany _Don_ Rafael to the _hacienda_.

“You’re going to inherit your father’s lands. That’s why you need to know how to manage them.”

“I don’t wanna study anymore,” Elias whined, standing up from the desk to sit at the edge of his bed. Maria scooted farther from him to give space, still clutching the text book in her hands.

“You want to take the Civil Service Exam and be a government employee?”

Elias was in the act of laying down on the bed when he froze in bewilderment, propping himself up on his shoulders.

“I—what?”

“Or you want to be a handsome Manila boy in your next life?” Maria giggled.

Elias opened his mouth to argue, then he closed it again. Maria noticed this, and pouted.

“Did you forget about those already?”

“…y-yes?”

“Then be glad I remembered them for you!”

“Y-Yeah, I’m glad.” Elias laid on his bed, stock stiff, his mind reeling with _really, Crisostomo, you want to be a handsome Manila boy in your next life? That is so lame. Well you got your wish, and now you’re wrecking havoc at home as me. You should be grateful._

Elias turned to his right side, and came face to face with Maria’s shirtsleeve.

He was never really particular about personal space with girls. He has a twin sister whom he shared beds, hugs, and cuddles with a long time ago. Elias has no qualms about sharing body heat with another person. Though, of course, out of common courtesy, he has to respect personal space.

“Did all that studying make you tired?” Maria asked, sitting up. Elias nodded. Only two hours passed since Maria came over, and exhaustion was already pulling at Elias’ eyes. All-nighters were nothing compared to this. In all-nighters, there’s mostly note browsing and stock-knowledge reviewing for maybe an hour or two. Elias was already a master of those things in his own right. This, though, was quizzing on something Elias barely had any knowledge on, despite being an honor student in his batch.

 _That’s telling me something about the education system though_ , Elias thought. He should probably discuss this with Placido and Isagani sometime.

On impulse, Elias nudged close to Maria, so much so that he rested his cheek against her arm. Maria didn’t seem to mind, and began to play with his hair.

“If you’re gonna inherit your dad’s lands, do them good, okay?” Maria said softly, a kind of hesitance in her voice. “You know all those issues with _haciendas_ , right?”

Elias nodded.

“Don’t…don’t be like them, okay? Your dad’s been doing a really good job and all…” Maria trailed off, lost in thought.

Elias sighed. Cris seems to have a lot on his hands, even at this age. No wonder he’s studying too much, and going to the _hacienda_ often.

He inched closer to Maria, albeit unknowingly.

“Cris? _Pwede ka bang umusog nang konti_?”

Elias jolted up, and pushed himself to the edge of the bed, his face pink.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“No, it’s okay.” Maria waved a hand at him. “ _Wala na kasi akong space eh_.”

Elias started sweating, his heart racing. Maria was, friendly reminder, _not_ Elisa, and Crisostomo explicitly stated that personal space must be maintained at all costs.

“ _Malapit na nga pala mag-lunchtime, bumaba na kaya tayo_ ,” Elias announced, speaking all to quickly. He turned on his heel, and headed for the door.

“Cris, wait _lang_!”

Elias froze, his clammy palms already on the doorknob. “Y-Yes?”

Maria smiled, getting up from the bed, and setting the book down on the bed.

“After you inherit your lands, marry me, okay?”

Elias, his mind already shut down, could only nod.

 

 

 

Crisostomo was holding his phone with shaky hands, as his eyes went over Elias’ new log in his diary.

_Log 4, also I’m sorry please don’t kill me, also I downloaded a diary app already in my own phone, there._

_I MADE A MISTAKE I’M SO SORRY._

Cris could only wonder what the hell is up with city people and their love of using all-caps. It’s terrifying as hell.

_I………..I got too close to Maria……….I’m sorry sjfdkhalj_

_REST ASSURED THOUGH I didn’t do anything to her. I’m a respectable human._

Cris felt all the blood drain for his face, his entire body starting to grow faint. But he needed to push on if he wanted to see this status update, with all the all-caps and ellipses and keysmashes. Dying could come later maybe.

_THEN she said that after you inherit your lands, you……………..you marry her……_

_I SAID YES BECAUSE WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY WRKSLIDKJJLAIDUSHKJ_

More keysmashes followed. Crisostomo clutched the front of his shirt.

 

 

 

Rule number three was a shared rule: _acads bago lakads_.

 

 

 

“Cris, Basilio and Crispin are here!”

Elias looked up from his _longganisa_ , still chewing. He forced down the food, before saying, “Acads _muna po_!”

“ _Aba_ ,” Doña Catalina remarked, putting the dishes away with _Ate_ Grace, “ _pa-acads-acads ka pa diyan, anak_.”

 

 

 

“Elias _may gig yung_ Jensen _bukas_! _Sama ka_?”

Crisostomo pushed his sweaty hair back, hand aching from copying notes from classmates on the (angry) behest of Elias. “Acads before _lakads_!”

He pointed down at his notebook for added emphasis.

 

 

 

Rule number four was another shared rule: “please read this guide on how to act like me, TY”.

 

 

 

“Crisostomo is a boy my age, living with his parents on an estate in Laguna. We switch at random, sometimes more than once a week. Sleep triggers the switch…but the real cause is unknown,” Elias mused. It was recess time and he opted to stay in the classroom to ‘analyze his notes’, keyword for trying to find out why he was switching bodies with someone else.

“ _Kuya_!” Isagani called from the door, his glasses sliding down his nose.

“I need to tell you something important!”

 

 

 

“There’s this lower batch guy who likes you.”

“W-What?!”

“Man, _kuya_ , you’re quite the chic magnet. Now you’re getting the guys too!”

“That’s not a good thing! And besides, why would—why would someone like me?!”

“You’ve been acting really cutesy lately.”

“…I never thought I’d hear you say something like that, Placido.”

Placido’s eyebrows wrinkled. “Didn’t you tell me that already?”

“If I did, then it’s still relevant!”

 

 

 

“ _Tangina naman nito_ ,” Elias muttered under his breath, reading the newest log with evident frustration.

“You got a love letter from a guy?!” Elisa exclaimed. Elias knows she’s not mortified. Heck, he could even see her eyes sparkle too brightly. Suspiciously bright.

“Yeah, but it’s no big deal, okay?”

The log read: _apparently you’re cuter when I’m you._

“Goddammit Cris!”

He ran up to his room, and grabbed the nearest Sharpie from his desk. Furiously, he scribbled an angry, black “GAGO” on his cheek, and another “ _Wag ka ngang malaki ang ulo_!!!” on his left arm.

“Heh, that should teach him a lesson.” Elias smirked, satisfied.

 

 

 

Cris couldn’t believe the log. It made his head want to throb, especially since he switched with Elias on alternating days, and ended up with writings on his face and on his arms. They were hell to remove—they were Sharpie.

 _If you and Maria get closer, you can thank me_.

True enough, there was evident change in the personal space, or lack thereof. Maria was more touchy, and liked to sidle with him more (though of course, only when Crisostomo was okay with it, but even then Cris found himself completely flustered).

Cris, along with the Canovas brothers, were resting under a large _balete_ tree, the former going through his logs and swearing at Elias internally. Maria was at school, and wouldn’t be back until five in the afternoon.

“Oh! _Ate_ Maria said that you proposed to her, _Kuya_ Cris,” Crispin exclaimed suddenly. “Congratulations!”

Crisostomo shushed the younger boy. “ _Naglalaro lang kami ni Ate_ Maria.”

“Sure,” Basilio said, entirely unconvinced.

 

 

 

“The body-switching is evident since even though my memory is hazy after the switch, the people around us say otherwise,” Cris said as he wrote down the note on a piece of scratch paper.

His mind backtracked to the log he just read, and on impulse, got a Sharpie of his own. He wrote a large “BWISET” on his cheek in retaliation, as well as a glaring, “ _Wala akong pake, katawan mo naman yon eh_!!!” on his right thigh.

Crisostomo regarded his own boldness.

 

 

 

Logs were filled with only two things for the next few weeks of body switching.

“GAGO.”

“BWISET.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick story:  
> while i was writing this chapter i looked back at the previous ones to get a feel of the fic again and not only did i get the feeling of writing this i also cringed intensely at how i'm consistent with continuity errors (HAHA A MODERN PARADOX) so i will...make edits to this when i can... _when_ i can...


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